The “Tech Titans” – Amazon, Apple, eBay, Facebook and Google – are
changing the face of retail, driving sweeping change using technology.
The Titans challenge retailers to jump on their progressive bandwagon or
lose discerning consumers who will seek out competitors – often from the
showrooming convenience of mobile devices – if their expectations aren’t
quickly met.

“Mobile technology is having a profound impact on the retail landscape
by disrupting the traditional path to purchase,” said Lori Schafer, SAS
Retail Executive Advisor. “Each of the Tech Titans has made vast
investments in mobile as a part of their core strategy, and it’s having
a significant effect on retail. Whether introducing prospective
customers to new merchandise on a tablet through Instagram, Pinterest or
Google Shopping or letting customers pay using a smartphone, the future
is at the crossroads of mobile and analytics.”

Schafer and Bernie Brennan, former Chairman of the National Retail
Federation are co-authors of Branded: How Retailers Engage Customers
with Social Media and Mobility. Together, they will probe how the
Tech Titans are using path-breaking mobility strategies during a Super
Session at the NRF 102nd Annual Convention and EXPO in New
York City on Monday, Jan. 14.

“Until recently, the Titans had separate niches,” Schafer continued.
“Amazon was an e-tailer, Apple made computers, eBay hosted online
auctions, Facebook was a social network, and Google was a search engine.
Today, they are reinventing retail, communications, financial services,
entertainment, travel and technology services. And mobile technologies
are especially important to their success. This is an amazing time of
technology innovation for retailers.”

Schafer cites several examples:

Apple’s iStore payment system is a classic mobile innovation.
With iStore, a customer can browse a retail aisle, scan a barcode
using their phone’s camera, pay through iTunes, and walk out with the
purchase. No check-out lines, no staff. Schafer calls Apple the best
omnichannel retailer in business today.

eBay has made a hefty $5 billion investment in mobile
technology through recent acquisitions, including PayPal, which shows
major mobile promise. The Home Depot, one of the largest traditional
retailers, offers a PayPal “mobile wallet” option at every check-out
counter. Twenty other retailers are scheduled to follow. Additionally,
eBay is piloting same-day delivery using mobile technology.

Facebook is becoming more mobile-friendly. The pace at which
the company has collected an unequaled trove of consumer sentiment
data leaves traditional ratings and sentiment tracking companies
breathless. Now, Facebook is poised to cash in with marketing and
advertising companies that want to reach consumers through all
communication channels.

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